


You, Me, and Us

by Dracorum



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Character Study, Childhood Friends, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Random & Short, Rotating cast, Slice of Life, Snippets, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2020-09-27 16:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20410705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dracorum/pseuds/Dracorum
Summary: "Ordinary or extraordinary, any day with you is an adventure."Gran and Djeeta are childhood friends and currently co-captains of the crew.No overarching plot, just fluffy snippets of their days.





	1. Sleeping Arrangements

There was silence all around him.

Actually, no.

That's not exactly right.

The Grandcypher has its own sound, its 'breath'. The creak and snap of wood, the flap of canvas and loose rigging, the constant whistle of the wind.

But there was a silence in the crew cabin he could not get used to.

Gran turned on his side on the bunk, eyes blinking awake in the dark. Vyrn murmured above his head, still deep asleep on his corner of the pillow. It was a long day, filled with last-minute preparations for their journey to Valtz. Despite this Gran felt more awake than ever.

He sighed, mouth quirked in a lopsided smile. If sleep was so elusive, he might as well be up and about, maybe do something useful. Carefully he rose and fluff the pillow around his partner. Going over his gear again won't hurt.

"Gran?" a voice accompanied by a quiet knock.

"Lyria?" he jumped at the unexpected sound, moved quickly to open the door, "What's the matter?"

Lyria stood there, hugging her pillow to her chest, "Sorry to disturb you so late. I couldn't sleep."

"Me neither," Djeeta chimed in softly, standing at her opened cabin door across from his.

He looked from his best friend to their mutual life support and scratched his mussed head, "I see. Want to come in?"

"Can I- Can we sleep with you?" Lyria asked shyly, squeezing her pillow tighter.

Gran's brows rose, but he smiled, "Sure."

"Thank you!" Lyria smiled brightly in answer and stepped softly past him. Djeeta closed her door and strode the few steps separating them. She leaned in to whisper, "Lyria had a nightmare you see."

They looked at each other, understanding without words. It must have been about when they first met each other. Finding Lyria in the forest, fighting through the imperials, confronting the hydra, Djeeta jumping in front of him, the fangs piercing them both anyway. The whole sequence was ingrained into their souls, literally. They still had nightmares of what might have been, not to mention Lyria.

He nodded, turned back toward the bunk, "Right, how are we going to do this?"

Djeeta giggled, "You take the outside?"

"So, I can be the one falling off the bed in the middle of the night? Thanks a lot..."

Djeeta grinned without retorting and bounced onto the inside corner, putting her back against the smooth wood, her front snuggling against Lyria. Vyrn sleepily rolled onto her blond head and flopped there, tail curled against her cheek. Lyria herself was already deep asleep in the middle, smiling in an unknown dream.

He huffed half-heartedly at the choice made for him in his own cabin. Carefully, he maneuvered onto his side of the bunk, one arm curled on both the girl in blue and co-captain, one bent under his own head.

"Goodnight Gran," Djeeta murmured, one hand laying on top of his arm and around their young friend in the middle.

"Goodnight," he replied, already slurring the end of his words, the coziness working on his insomnia like a drug.

A few moments later and the pile of warm bodies was deep in sleep, their soft breaths adding to the thrum of the Grandcypher as it soared across the vast sky.


	2. Reliability

"Are you sulking?"

"I am not," Gran sighed, glancing down at Djeeta.

Djeeta climbed the last few meters of rope and flipped smoothly over the crow's nest railing, "You _look_ like you are."

Gran grabbed her fly away skirt and smoothed it down, "I said I'm not. Quit asking."

"Alright, Not-Sulking. Then what's the matter with you?" she scooted to sit next to him, "Lyria and Vyrn looked so worried, I just have to ask."

"It's not-" he swallowed his next word back down when she glared at him.

"Not nothing," he sighed heavily, giving up.

"Was it the escort mission this morning? What happened?"

"The mission went fine. It's just me, being annoyed by myself."

"So..."

"The clients kept ignoring me and talked to Eugen instead."

"Ah," she sighed as well, "It's not like I don't understand why, but still."

"I know,"

Djeeta elbowed him, "We can't hurry up the clock, right? And us being like this means some of the kids feel safe being here. Like Syr, Yaia, Alec-"

He held the fingers she put up to count their younger crew members, "I know."

She peered into his face, "But you're still down."

"I just felt unreliable."

"Well, don't feel that way."

"Easy for you to say. You're always put together."

"It's a talent,"

"Right,"

"But you've got your own talent Gran. You're always the first to jump between us and whatever it is. You protect us. You don't feel reliable, but to us you are."

He looked into her eyes. He knew her all his life and she had never told a deliberate lie.

"...Thanks for saying so."

"Lyria and Vyrn could have told you as much if you weren't sulking all the way up here."

"I- oh, forget it," he smiled crookedly, "Let's go down."

"You go. It's actually my turn for lookout duty," she pushed his back lightly.

He saluted, "Yes, ma'am, co-captain ma'am."

She laughed, "Stop that 'ma'am'-ing or it's deck-swabbing for you young man."

She watched Gran made his way down the ropes and sighed to herself. "I have to keep telling myself that too," she whispered to the wind.

Djeeta giggled when she saw Lyria and Vyrn cannon-balled into him, Rackham and Eugen laughing as they ruffled his head, Katalina and Rosetta looking on in amusement at the commotion.

"Still, I think we'll be just fine with everyone nearby."


	3. Nursing Machine

'Oh, this isn't good,' the world spun crazily whenever Djeeta opened her eyes. She closed them tightly and tried to will the dizzy spell away. Her whole body ached, not helped by the constant heat burning her up from the inside. She had never been this sick, ever.

"Don't scrunch your face. It'll get stuck that way," a wry voice accompanied by a cool rectangle of cloth wiping her sweaty forehead.

"Shut up Gran," she scowled, "This is the worst."

"It's amazing how you were able to catch such a bad cold in the middle of summer."

"Shut- ugh," she coughed, again and again, the dry itchiness of her throat made her want to claw everything out just to get it over with.

"There's a basin here, just lean over," he said and gathered her hair from her face when she dry heaved into the basin near his feet.

"...This is the worst," she rasped, exhausted.

"Try to sleep," he soothed, wiping her mouth with another rectangle of clean cloth when she fell back onto her pillow.

"Sorry you have to do this," she mumbled, fighting another bout of dizziness.

"Sleep Djeeta," he patted her head softly, some kind of cooling spell radiating from his hand.

'That feels nice,' she thought. She wanted to say thanks but didn't manage to voice it before she passed out.

* * *

Gran watched Djeeta a few moments more, making sure the sleep spell he just cast took hold. He'd been getting better at debilitating spells, but had no idea if it had worked, or Djeeta was just too tired.

He picked up the towels he had used as a cooling aid and the basin of now warm water from the bedside table, went to open the door and leaned out into the hallway. Lyria crouched there, immediately to his right, with an extremely worried look on her face.

"Gran! How is she?" she jumped up instantly as soon as he stepped out.

"I finally got her to sleep," he smiled as Lyria clapped her hands over her mouth, "She'll be out for a while, don't worry. I had to use a spell to force her. Listen, can you do me a favor and bring some more towels and change the water? I want to stay and keep an eye on Djeeta."

"Of course, but are you sure you don't want to rest Gran? You haven't slept since last night," Lyria pressed her hand against his head, "I know you said you're fine, but-"

He gently shook his head, "I'm honestly fine. If I feel even the slightest bit uncomfortable I'll switch with Shao. I don't want you and the rest to worry yourself sick too after all."

Lyria searched his face, and finally nodded, "Alright, if you're sure. I'll be back with the things you asked for."

"Thanks," he said as he handed over the water basin, "It's because she's sick that Djeeta wanted to keep you out of the room, you know that right?"

"I know and I understand why," Lyria replied sadly, "and I know she doesn't want me to see her in that state. But I wish there was more I can do for her, and for you too."

"Just being here is plenty Lyria," he hugged her shoulder impulsively, "She'll be up and running at the next mission like usual soon, you'll see."

"Mm," Lyria nodded against his shoulder, "I know that too."

"Oi, guys," Vyrn flew around the corner as he called out, "Shao said to tell him when Djeeta's awake next so he can give her another dose of the medicine."

"Got it," Gran replied, "Help Lyria with the stuff will you?"

"You bet," Vyrn snagged a towel from his friend's arm and hovered, "Oh yeah, Lowain said he has the soup on the warmer for whenever Djeeta gets hungry too."

Gran smiled at the both of them, small dragon and blue girl, "We're a well-oiled nursing machine aren't we?"

"Djeeta won't know what hit her. She'll be back to normal before we even spy Albion in the telescope," Vyrn puffed up proudly while Lyria giggled, agreeing with a nod.

"Let's go Lyria. We'll be back soon Gran," Vyrn sped off, towel dangling haphazardly from his claws.

"Ah, Vyrn, wait for me!" Lyria scrambled to follow, the basin of water in her hands sloshing but not spilling.

"Knock when you're back," he trailed off as the two rounded the corner and laughed softly to himself.

He carefully closed the door behind him and resumed his post beside the sickbed. The spell was working it seemed. Djeeta was wheezing a little from her sore throat but otherwise looked to be sleeping soundly. He noticed her hand had slipped out of the blanket cover and moved to tuck it under again.

But instead of letting go, her grip on his hand tightened. "Gran," she whispered, her voice a breathy rasp.

He froze, but no, she wasn't talking to him, she was talking in her sleep.

"...Thanks" she mouthed silently.

Gran smiled tenderly, whispered back, "You're welcome," and tucked her hand under the blanket.


	4. About Even

"Why are the two of them up and at 'em so early," yawned Vyrn as he perched on Lyria's head. Lyria giggled but didn't answer, continuing to draw into her journal.

"Got you!" Djeeta shouted a couple of meters away, swinging her practice sword onto Gran in a clean arc.

Their blades clashed as Gran deflected her overhead blow, guided her sword away from him and stepped inside her guard, bringing his armored arm up in an elbow swipe.

Instead of stumbling, Djeeta dropped and duck under his arm, tackling him in his midriff with her shoulder. The two of them went down but rolled apart instantly, panting as they readied their blades again.

"Ow," Vyrn winced.

"Do you think Gran will win today?" Lyria looked up and asked Katalina who was leaning against the mast next to her.

"It depends," Katalina answered seriously, "Gran shouldn't have let her tackle him just now. Djeeta may be impulsive, but she makes up for it with her agility. Creating opportunities for attacks is her forte."

"Of course, Gran's good point is his tenacity. Sooner or later, there will be an opening he can exploit," as Katalina explained, the captains had resumed their match, neither giving way to each other. A yelp of pain interrupted the knight soon after, the sound of Djeeta tripping over an extended foot and landing heavily on the deck.

Panting, she raised a hand in defeat, "I give,"

"That was a good match," Gran grinned, breathing heavily as he collapsed next to her, "How many is it now?"

"About 60-40 in my favor," Djeeta conceded.

"That doesn't sound right,"

"Sure it is, if you count only blade works,"

"Ahah. It's about the opposite for spell works, huh."

Djeeta waved a hand in concession, "Just about."

"Breakfast time you two," Lyria called, packing her journal away.

"Coming," both replied, helping each other off the deck planking.

"What's next for today?" Djeeta asked her co-captain.

"Supplies drop off and some shopping with the others. I think Lowain and them are running low on food stock. The list seems a day long."

"Oof, okay. Let's count that as muscle training then!"

Gran laughed as they both waved to Rackham at the helm and headed toward the start of another busy day.


	5. Hide and Seek and Jamil

"One-" a childish voice counted slowly, face hidden behind her hands.

Behind her small draph form, children and not-yet adults promptly scattered, heading in separate directions to hide.

"Master," Jamil dropped down and kept pace with Djeeta, "What are you all doing?"

"Oh, Jamil! We're playing hide-and-seek with Yaia and the other kids," Djeeta grinned as she headed to her chosen spot.

"Should I run interference?"

"No, no, don't do that! Imagine having an assassin run interference in a kid's game. Nobody will be able to find each other!"

Jamil tilted his head, "But...you are hiding? And trying not to be found?"

"Um, how do I explain this," Djeeta pondered as she ducked behind the crates in the storage room.

"Huh, Jamil?" She looked around at his sudden disappearance, "Ah, there you are. Come out of the dark corner please, it's not an ambush situation."

"Yes, Master,"

"Let's see, do you have games you play with others when you were younger?"

"No, only training was permitted,"

"Okay...um, so playing is a bit like training, but the objective is to have fun,"

"Fun?"

"You're thinking how they can have fun just trying to find hidden people right."

"The game seems counterintuitive to properly emulate assassination assignments."

"Let's put aside the thing about assassination for now."

Djeeta pursed her lips in thought as Jamil waited patiently, "I think... I think it's fun for the seeker to try and guess the hidden players' mind, to think of where they might go. And for the hiding party, it's the fun of thinking up unexpected places to confound the seeker."

"I see," Jamil nodded easily.

"Maybe I'm not explaining very well," Djeeta apologized, unsure if he truly understood.

"I believe I understand, Master. By the way, Yaia is coming around the bend of the passage."

"Oh, shhh," Djeeta shushed him but at the same time she peeked out from behind the crate to get a look at the tiny seeker.

Yaia came round with a gaggle of the presumably already discovered players around her, the whole troop shouting in cacophony for Djeeta to come out.

Djeeta ducked again and suppressed a giggle, "Looks like I'm the last one."

"How do you win this game?"

"Well, usually they have to shout a surrender if they can't find the last person in time for dinner on Zinkenstill. I just hope they aren't going to forget about me before then!"

"Found you big sister!" Yaia pounced unexpectedly, hugging Djeeta from behind.

"Oops! I guess we talked too loudly," Djeeta laughed, hugging Yaia back.

"Found you too Jamil!" Yaia grinned, "Now it's Jamil's turn to seek!"

Jamil, confounded at the sudden induction to a new position in the crew, turned to Djeeta, who winked, "Alright, on the count of ten Jamil!"

Confused but obliging, Jamil closed his eyes and started to count slowly.

"Go, go, go! Whoever is last this time can have cake for dessert!" he heard Djeeta shouted excitedly, along with screams of enthusiasm from the other kids.

He sensed his Master's presence coming nearer to him instead of going off with the others but refrained from opening his eyes.

"Thanks Jamil. Don't find them too early now, that cake isn't going to eat itself," Djeeta whispered into his ear, a smile evident her voice.

Jamil nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

"See you in ten!"

He obeyed her instructions, counting slowly again to ten from the start. When he finished, an unconscious smile rose like the sun on his face. He shouted into the passageway, in a volume the opposite from his usual, "Ready or not, here I come!"


	6. Urgent Letters

Pens scratched diligently in the relative quiet of the study room of the Grandcypher. Gran suppressed a yawn as he rested his eyes from the accounting and gazed out of the porthole to the busy dock outside.  
  
"Bored?" his companion asked before yawning a little herself.  
  
He smiled at Lecia, sitting with her own pile of papers across from him, "Looks like you are too. Are all those reports from the others?"  
  
She blushed a little from the slip, "Yes, just some routine ones, don't worry. I'm almost done."  
  
"Me too. There's quite a bit of catchup to do since Seruel last came aboard. Usually, there won't even be a pile left on the desk."  
  
"Seruel is really amazingly organized after all," she agreed.  
  
"Gran, are you here?" Djeeta poked her head through the doorway, "There you are! Lecia too! That's great!"  
  
"What's the matter-" Gran asked and blinked as Djeeta came in and plopped down next to Lecia on the bench, dumping a pile of letters on the table, "The mail delivery came already?"  
  
Djeeta nodded, "There's more but those are personal letters for the other crew members. Lyria and Vyrn are helping to sort them into bags on the deck. I just took the ones marked urgent or addressed to us."  
  
"Okay, let's see them," he reached over and cracked the seal on the closest envelope.  
  
"I'll help too," Lecia also took one and cracked it open.  
  
For awhile the quiet sound of papers shuffling resumed in the study room. Suddenly Djeeta yelled, "I got it!"  
  
"What?" Gran asked absently, still puzzling out Beatrix's chicken-scratch handwriting. He wondered what was so urgent about sweets recommendation.  
  
"Look, look!" Djeeta practically shoved the letter in front of his nose, "Sierokarte finally got me the materials list I needed for the revenant sword upgrade!"  
  
Gran's eyes swam from the long, long list, "That's...a lot."  
  
"May I see?" Lecia asked and received the list, "Hm, it looks daunting at first glance, but I think we have some of the materials already in stock."  
  
"Oh, we do? That's great!" Djeeta clapped her hands, "I'll get Eugen to help me look for them."  
  
"Isn't he down on the dockside with Rackham, something about repairs?" Gran asked Lecia, slowing Djeeta's runaway excitement.  
  
"I think so. Noa's with them too so it might be a bit more work than normal maintenance." Lecia replied and looked at her other captain with sympathy, "Maybe we should put this aside for now until we have set our next destination?"  
  
"Okay..." Djeeta sighed. "Anything else in the letters?"  
  
"Nothing extraordinary that I saw," Lecia shuffled the read letters into a pile, "These are follow-up reports from our members on away missions, so it's a good thing I was compiling them just now. Everyone reported success."  
  
"Yeah, no emergency in the ones that I read either. I think this 'urgent' letter from Beatrix might be for you and Lyria, Djeeta," Gran handed it over.  
  
She glanced through it, a lot more quickly than Gran was able, and exclaimed, "No way, so that pie shop I wanted to try was on this island! I have to go tell Lyria. Today's teatime will be amazing!"

The speed at which Djeeta vacated the room left the two other occupants speechless.

"So that's the power of pie," Gran murmured, bemused, and resumed his bookkeeping.

Lecia laughed a little, "I'm looking forward to teatime now."

"Me too," Gran smiled as he imagined Lyria's delight.

Companionable silence again descended, the moving pens perhaps a little more enthusiastic than before.


	7. Catch You, Catch Me

"Watch out!" Gran shouted as he sprinted towards Djeeta, dodging the arrows the bandits were firing at them from up the hillside. The other crew members had already scattered and were hiding along the treeline.

Djeeta snagged his arm as he skidded past the tree she was behind, "Gran, here!"

"Where's Lyria and Vyrn?" he crouched and looked around.

"With Katalina. They're okay," she nodded to the trees further in.

He spied the telltale blue and heaved a relieved sigh, "What's next?"

"Just hang on a bit. I'll get this done with Sutera," she smiled, her eyes hard, "Nobody walks us into an ambush and escapes unscathed."

Djeeta reached up for a low hanging branch and was gone up the tree in a heartbeat. Gran waited, counting the seconds until he heard the whistles of a rain of arrows. Across the open clearing, the bandits were swarming out from behind the broken rocks like ants out of an anthill, many of them going down from the well-placed projectiles of the two in the treetops.

He yelled, "Attack!" and motioned the others to do the same as he charged out blade swinging.

The skirmish was an easy rout thereafter. He left Katalina in charge of the trussing of captured bandits and went back to the same tree.

"Everything's fine now, come down," he shouted, spying Djeeta still perched there with an arrow nocked, looking all around her.

"I still don't see that fake merchant. Is he gone?" she swept her gaze throughout again, but still couldn't find the backstabbing man.

Gran looked back toward the ones they had captured and shook his head, "It seems he escaped in the confusion, unfortunately."

"I'll go up a bit more, maybe I can still catch sight of him," she replaced the arrow and made to climb higher.

"Djeeta, wait! It's unstable if you go too high!" Gran warned but no sooner had he said it that the branch in her hand snapped and she slipped off the bark.

It was too sudden for Djeeta to even scream. She tried to reach the closest branch but the leaves made it too slippery to hold properly. She was in freefall through the air, feeling every sharp edge of the foliage whipped her arms and legs. Panicked, she curled into herself to protect her head from what must be a deathly landing.

Gran's brain froze for less than an eye-blink before he started casting. Shield, Substitute, Phalanx, he practically glowed from the layered spells. He snagged a branch, climbed, and jumped right at Djeeta as she plummeted. The midair catch arced them through the air away from the tangled roots underneath the boughs. Gran was able to maneuver so that he hit the ground first, the impact jarring his teeth to his skull. They continued to roll on the grass from the momentum until they came to a stop surrounded by yelling crewmates.

Gran's eyes opened to a confusion of blue skies and Djeeta's faces. He felt a cool hand on his head as someone began to cast a healing spell.

"Gran!" Djeeta's hands were on his cheeks, trying to catch his focus, her voice shaking like her fingers, "Are you okay? You shouldn't have caught me like that you idiot, what if you got hurt?"

He smiled at her crookedly when the world finally stopped spinning, "You're the idiot. At least I protected myself before that stunt."

Presently he remembered to ease his death grip and let her sit up. He frowned at the numerous bleeding scratches on her, "You should be the one getting healed."

"I'm fine! I can take care of these myself," she swiped her watery eyes, "Thanks for catching me."

"It's no big deal, you'd do the same for me," he grinned and closed his eyes before opening them again to assure Lyria and Vyrn that he really was fine. Yes, really.

* * *

They were heading back to the port after dropping off the bandits with the local vigilante when Gran spied the merchant that had led them into the ambush out of the corner of his eye. He was alone at the back of the group, contented to watch Djeeta and Lyria on their back and forth conversation. The dark alley the merchant ducked into was just a step away, he reasoned. It won't hurt to check, just to be sure he didn't just imagine the likeness.

He was careless when he had no right to be.

Gran looked around the dark cell and tested his bounds again for the hundredth time. The chains didn't break. He sat hunched, the thick links binding his iron collar to his wrist and ankle manacles too short for him to sit upright, much less move.

They were human traffickers and he was their prized product.

It explained the strangely well-equipped bandits. He sighed and rested his head on his knees. He wasn't worried. But it irked him that he was so negligent to let success made him complacent enough to be jumped and captured.

Echoes of shouting floated to him down the empty corridor. He waited patiently for her wrath to descend.

Running feet skidded to a stop in front of his door, its pattern as familiar to him as his own. Silence, then the flimsy wooden celldoor cracked in two and flew in, landing dustily in front of him.

Djeeta lowered her sword as she came in cautiously. She hissed when she saw him waved at her with the tiniest motion allowed in his bondage.

"They _didn't_," she turned back and shouted outside in answer to a question, "He's here Rackham. He's fine."

She crouched in front of him, inspected the chains, nodded to herself, said "Hold still," raised her sword and slashed through the metals like butter.

"You make it look so easy," he sighed, shaking his raw wrists and working the crick out of his neck.

She sheathed her sword, pinched his cheeks and pulled, "Gran, you HUGE IDIOT."

"Owwww, I'm sowwy, pwease stop pwulling,"

"You deserved more than this for the worry you put us through," she snorted. "Come on, let's go. We've got to clean out the rest of this filthy nest of rats," she stood and offered her hand.

He grasped it, tried to stand, felt his knees buckled, "Uh, I need a minute. Might have sat like that for too long."

Djeeta frowned, then a mischievous smirk stole onto her face.

Gran looked at her suspiciously, "What-"

She bent and scooped him up in a princess-carry, so effortlessly he felt his pride shattered.

"Djeeta!" he squeaked, his face burning.

"Be quiet," Djeeta scolded as she stepped out of the cell, grinned at the shaking Rackham trying to hold back his laugh, and marched her co-captain out of the dank corridor.

Up one flight of stairs and several turns later, ignoring his protests all the while, Djeeta finally deposited Gran into Kat's arms.

"Please carry this sack of idiot to the nearest healer, Katalina," she asked of the knight sweetly.

"Yes, Captain," Katalina's serious face made Gran want to bury himself about a thousand meters under and write on his own tombstone, 'Here lies a peaceful idiot.'

He didn't get to see the clean-up operation but the others reassured him that his co-captain was _very_ through.


	8. Cat Naps

"Ow," Djeeta groaned as she rubbed her bruised knuckles, "Gramps Ghandagoza sure doesn't hold anything back in sparring."

She stopped in front of Gran's door and tapped lightly on it with her fingertips, "Gran? You in?"

No answer, except for a quiet meow. "Sky?" Djeeta tested the knob and found it unlocked. She tentatively poked her head through the opening, "What are you meowing about-"

Gran was slumped at his desk, head pillowed on the young cat trapped between his arms. Sky looked indignant to be used as a glorified cushion.

Djeeta coughed a laugh and quickly swallowed it as Sky struggled, even more, to get to freedom. "Okay, okay, settle down. I'll get you out," she whispered.

She gently lifted her co-captain's head and watched Sky leaped out of the encircled arms, then snagged the actual pillow from his bunk and laid his head on that instead.

'Well now, what to do.' She scratched her cheek wryly, 'I guess I'll ask him for some bandages later.'

A stray bottle of potion suddenly rolled to a stop at her feet, "Huh?"

Another rolled by. Sky nimbly batted the third bottle between his paws. "Oh no, you don't." Djeeta hastily snatched the cat up and held him, "Those are some expensive toys you're playing with, you naughty thing."

Now that she was looking, the room was in a mild mess of papers, bottles, jars, and other knick-knacks just rolling around at every pitch of the Grandcypher.

"What the- You're getting to be as bad as Lancelot," she frowned down at Gran and Sky meow-ed in probable agreement.

Djeeta's expression softened as she caught sight of the notes he was sleeping on, 'You're working hard on a potion for Zehek huh. Up until the small hours again I bet.'

She looked to Sky and the cat blinked back as she smiled softly, "I guess I'll help him clean up, just this once."

* * *

Gran blinked awake as the sun started to set. 'Oh man, what time is it?' He yawned and stretched, 'Must be dinner, if my stomach is any indication.'

He made to get up and suddenly a weight shifted onto his thigh. He quickly looked down in surprise, "Wha-"

Djeeta was fast asleep on the floor beside his chair, using his leg as a pillow. Gran rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was still dreaming, 'What the heck is she doing down there?'

His co-captain frowned a little, shifted position to rest her head more comfortably, causing a sleepy meow of protest to issue from Sky in her lap.

'Sky too? What's going on right now,' Gran shook his head and looked around. He gently held her shoulder upright as he pushed back his chair and crouched next to her.

'I guess I can carry her to her cabin, but Sky will probably fall off her lap.' The cat in question was curled in a tight ball and showed no possibility of waking.

'Nothing for it, I guess I'll have to wait,' he sat down cross-legged and put the pillow from on his desk against his shoulder. Djeeta leaned fully onto him as soon as he let go, her frown clearing right up as she settled comfortably against his side.

'Okay, now what should I do...huh?' he picked up her hand from their position on the floor, studying the bruised knuckles in vivid purple. 'I guess she must have come in wanting bandages for these. Doesn't explain why she fell asleep on the floor though.'

He gazed around his cabin, 'And for some reason cleaned up my room for me too.'

Gran looked at the peaceful sleeping face of his co-captain for a moment in puzzlement then smiled, 'What's gotten you to be so kind today I wonder? Whatever it is, I guess I shouldn't count on this kind of miracle to happen often.'

He turned and open the bottom drawer for his medicine kit and set to work on bandaging her hands.

* * *

Sometime later, Lunalu had to sprint as fast as her legs could carry her back to her cabin for her sketch pad. As the news of the heartwarming sight of the two captains sleeping against each other spread, the doorway of Gran's cabin was suddenly filled to the brim with the 'aw's of mobbing crew members.


	9. Hair and Hands

"Djeeta are you done yet?" Gran poked his head into her cabin, spinning his boater hat on an extended finger. "Lyria and Vyrn have already gone off with Katalina and the others to browse the festival stalls."

"No," Djeeta replied absent-mindedly, turning her head this way and that, the small mirror in her hand winking in the lamplight. "I just can't decide..." she trailed off in a mumble and frowned at the mussed hair reflected in the shiny oval.

"What's the matter?" Gran stepped in and looked over her shoulder. "Can't decide what?"

She showed him the flower hairband held in her other hand, "Lyria got me this cute accessory awhile ago and I want to wear it tonight. I just don't know what style of hair goes with it best. What do you think Gran, should I tie my hair up or not?"

"Shouldn't you be asking Korwa or La Coiffe about this?" He scratched his head, smiling lopsidedly.

"Well they're not here and you are," she pouted, "Just tell me your first thought."

"Fine, fine," he stepped back and looked at her yukata ensemble. She was in her usual color scheme of light and dark pinks, as bright and energetic as the fireworks going off intermittently in the distance.

Gran tossed the boater onto his head haphazardly, reached over her and grabbed the closest comb on the dressing table, "I'll get you sorted."

"What?" Djeeta craned her neck back toward him, eyes wide.

He gently moved her head so she's looking straight ahead, not at him, "I'm going to do your hair for you, so just sit still."

As the comb started to gently sort out the messy mop of hair, Djeeta couldn't help but stare at her co-captain's reflection in the mirror. "You're not going to prank me, are you?"

Gran snorted, "No. We're already late enough as it is. If we're any later, Lyria will empty out all the food stalls before we even get a chance to smell them."

"True. Alright, I'm trusting you." She laid her mirror down on her lap and sat as still as possible on the stool.

Gran had started to sort her hair into bunches when he felt Djeeta nodded off. The rhythmic combing had lulled her to sleep it seems. He smirked and braced her head against his chest as his deft fingers braided her soft hair. She didn't even open her eyes as he leaned over, lifted the hairband from her hand and put it on her head.

"Hey Djeeta," he shook her shoulders after he made sure the hairband would stay on. "Wake up!"

"Ah!" She shot to her feet as she exclaimed, "What? What did I- oh!" her hands flew up to her mini-braids. "Mirror, mirror-"

Gran sighed and held up the mirror he had saved from shattering in the nick of time, his other arm steadying her in an almost-embrace.

Djeeta peered into it and looked at him in surprise, "My hair is pretty now!"

"Of course it is," Gran rolled his eyes as he replied, "Can we go now? Before you nod off again."

She ignored the jab, still puzzling out her reflection in the mirror, "You are strangely good at this. How did you collect all of my hair into braids? Even La Coiffe had a difficult time trying to make it this neat when we were talking about it some time ago."

"Maybe your hair just got longer so it's easier, who knows," Gran put the mirror on the table, took the satchel there into one hand, her hand with the other, and towed her out of the cabin. "Let's go already."

"I can walk just fine on my own Gran, stop pulling!" Djeeta protested as she hurried to keep up, "I wasn't done looking!"

"They're only simple braids. What's there to look at?" Gran retorted but he stopped and gave her the satchel. "Sorry about the pulling. Here, your bag."

Djeeta huffed as she took the bag from him, "'Simple braids' he says. You are so- oh, never mind. You won't understand. Let's go then. Are you _that_ worried about the food running out?"

"Not really," he answered shortly as he turned away and started off.

"Hey, Gran!" She stared in puzzlement at his back, then something clicked. "Wait, are you embarrassed?"

"No!" he answered too quickly.

"You are!" Djeeta laughed as she caught up to him and noticed his red ears. "What are you even embarrassed about? You did such a good job! I'm going to tell Lyria all about your hairdressing skills. She's going to be so jealous of me."

"Do what you want," he turned his head away from her laughter, feeling awkward. Djeeta was usually so sparring of praise for him that suddenly being told he was good at something by her made him feel strangely elated. That must be why his heart was drumming. Definitely not because for a moment their faces were mere inches away from each other and he had wanted to lean in and-

He stopped and took a deep breath at the foot of the gangway. No more thinking. He would enjoy the festival with everyone, go to sleep, and tomorrow would be the same as it always was.

Gran looked back at his best friend and comrade, the one who he knew would be by his side come Pandemonium or Otherworld, and he wondered if he could keep ignoring this strange urge to hold her hand and never let go.


	10. Morning Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're a bit older here :))

It was a chilly, quiet morning as the Grandcypher dozed at the dock of an obscure island decorated with the gold and orange leaves of autumn. The brisk wind ran across the wide deck and chased the late shift crew members on watch down into the bowel of the ship, straight into the galley for a very early breakfast. The smell of coffee and hot food, the clinks of silverware and soft chatter of a day begun, stole across the massive airship and crept at last under the door of the ship's captains to rouse them from their deep slumber.

"Mm," Djeeta turned over to snuggle against Gran's chest and pulled the blanket higher to cover her shoulders.

Gran sleepily tucked his chin over her fluffy hair as he moved to hold her closer, "Not getting up?"

"Not yet," she yawned in answer, "There's nothing urgent today-"

A smallish explosion sounded somewhere in a distant part of the ship and interrupted her. The two listened for an alarm. With none following, they just sighed.

Djeeta murmured, "Did Karva get back yesterday?"

"No, but Marquiares did."

"I see."

Silence resumed and their breaths evened out. Just as Gran was about to fall asleep again, several hurried feet stampeded their way across the deck above them.

"Was that-?" he asked as he half-opened his eyes.

"I think so," the head under his chin nodded and tickled his collarbone with her hair, "Farrah and the others are back from their hike."

"That means roasted chestnuts for snacks and mushrooms for breakfast," Gran smiled, "Still not getting up?"

"No," she pulled the blanket over her head and muffled, "It's cold."

Gran was more than half awake now, looking down at the blanket lump under his arm, "Djeeta."

"What?"

"Don't you want to have breakfast with me?"

A pause. Then her mussed head emerged from the bedding cocoon with an exasperated sigh, "Fine, but only because there probably will be apple pies on the menu too."

"And we don't want Vyrn to have it all to himself right?" he grinned as he played with her bed-hair.

"Right," she brushed away his hand and pinched him on the nose, "Still, you're going to pay me back for making me get up this early-"

Gran looked at Djeeta with an unspoken question when she let go of his nose and moved her face closer to him. She watched the light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter until their lips brushed together softly as a feather. Before he deepened the kiss, she drew back and whispered in his ear, "-tonight."

Flushed face frowned up at her teasing grin, "You're so-"

Djeeta just hummed and kissed his nose to interrupt him, "Carry me?"

He made a grumbly noise in his throat but obliged and scooped her up in his arms, blanket and all, as he sat up. He would deposit her at the dressing table inside their private bathroom and their morning routine would begin. But before that-

Now that she was trapped in his arms and couldn't wriggle away, he bent his head and stole her lips.

For several long minutes.


	11. 'Like'

“It sure is getting sunny huh," Djeeta said by way of a greeting to the trio in the Grandcypher’s galley as she offloaded the groceries in her arms on the central counter.

"Gonna be a nice day tomorrow fo' sure," Lowain enthused as he stirred, fried, steamed, and chopped a myriad of menu items for the whole crew, all the while Tomoi and Elsam supported him flawlessly as if they were of one mind.

Djeeta smiled wordlessly, sat down, pulled over the potatoes sack and began peeling. She liked coming to the kitchen on her downtime. Something always smell nice bubbling on the stove, everybody stopped by to chat occasionally, and there were always snacks to be had. If she was lucky, she could catch Gran as he passed by too. They needed to talk.

She frowned unconsciously. He was avoiding her ever since she gave him the usual Valentine’s chocolates. Oh, he tried to act normal. Vyrn even played along and said that nothing was wrong, but she knew him better. Did she messed up with the flavoring somehow? People’s tastes do change sometimes…

Djeeta reached for another potato to peel and found that the enormous sack was empty. She looked up, saw the trio was eyeing her surreptitiously with panicky concern, looked down again and grimaced at the white-knuckled way she was holding the knife. She put it down slowly and breathed out. “Sorry, I guess I was lost in thought. Now all the potatoes will have to be used today.”

“Nuh-uh, s’ok.” Lowain hurriedly waved his hands, “Tater-tots gets the demolish every time, can’t have too much o’ those for dinner. You okay though, cap’n?”

She forced a smile and pushed her worries away in her mind, “Maybe just a little tired. You guys have any snacks laying around?”

“Gotcha covered,” Tomoi swooped over with the teapot and a plate of cookies.

“Time for a break to rest our weary bones boys!” Lowain plopped down on the bench opposite Djeeta and started to pour.

“Thank Bahamut, I was startin’ to lose feeling in my arms stirrin' that stew," Elsam slumped on the table to Lowain’s left.

“Tsk, tsk, ya need some more workin' out bro. Yggy prob’ly seen 'nuff twigs to go 'round in her jungle.” Tomoi swung a leg over on the other side of Lowain, leaned on the table and smirked teasingly at Elsam.

“That stung Tommy, why ya gotta kick a dude when he’s down!”

Djeeta accepted the teacup from Lowain and laughed alongside them. There’s no use dwelling on things she couldn’t change. If Gran doesn’t want to tell her what was on his mind, then she would respect his wishes.

* * *

  
“Hey Gran,” Vyrn whispered as he perched on his partner’s head, both peering around the corner at Djeeta laughing at the Lowain bros' antics inside the galley, “Are you gonna keep avoiding her like this?”

“What are you talking about?” Gran whispered back as he turned away and walked back down the ship’s passageway to his berth.

“Don’t play dumb,” Vyrn took off and flew in front him to bar his way, “How long do you think I’ve known the two of you? You’ve gone three days without talking to her once! You tell me what’s going on in your head now, or I’m gonna-”

Gran clapped his hands over his friend’s mouth, scooped him into his arms, and sprinted out of the galley’s vicinity.

But he was too late. Jamil had appeared silently from the shadows and stood in front of him with arms akimbo, blocking the way forward.

“Master, please reconsider,” the calm voice of the young assassin held a hint of reproach.

Gran looked into Jamil’s eyes and sighed softly at the resolute expression in them, “Alright, alright,” he let Vyrn go and rubbed his hands over his face, “I’ll talk to her. Can you ask Djeeta to meet me in my quarters? Please.”

“Yes Master,” Jamil answered with a ready smile and disappeared.

“I knew you’ll cave. Always got the soft spot for Jamil huh,” Vyrn smirked.

“You two didn’t have to gang up on me like this, I would’ve talked to her today regardless,” Gran scowled half-heartedly at the little dragon flapping nonchalantly beside him.

“As if,” Vyrn snorted, “You’re always overthinking things. Just take a deep breath and say whatever it is in one go. Smell ya later!”

Gran watched his friend fly off and started to walk with reluctant steps toward his room. Now that the moment came, he found his heart faltered at the mere thought of-

Well, there’s no use beating about the bush.

He was confessing his feelings today, and whatever the outcome, he will just have to make his heart accept it.

* * *

A single knock on the door was all the warning he got before Djeeta came striding into his room.

Gran looked up at her from his perch on the bunk and stood, nervously running his hands through his hair. He braced himself and looked at her face as she stopped less than an arm’s length away, her head tilted in the same questioning gesture he had seen a million times since their childhood.

He swallowed. Swallowed again, and cleared his throat as he felt his face heating up. He couldn’t say it. Years and years he had known her, thought of her as a friend, a comrade. He couldn’t just destroy-

“Gran,” she moved closer, she’d seen that look on his face before, like something he wanted to say had gotten stuck halfway and he didn’t know whether to swallow or spit it out, “You don’t have to tell me anything you’re uncomfortable with. Just tell me if it’s something I’ve done that made you mad.”

“Made me-?” He stared at her in alarm, embarrassment forgotten, “Why did you think- No, no, I’m not mad at you!”

“Huh?” she frowned in confusion, “But you’ve been avoiding me for days since Valentine’s. Didn’t the chocolate I gave you taste bad or something? Or was it something I said? Don’t tell me I mixed up and gave you Katalina’s batch instead,” the last sentence barely gasped out as she took that final step forward and took his hands in hers, “You’re not dying are you?”

Gran’s face had paled as he recalled the chocolates he had bravely consumed with Vira. He shook his head and brought his mind back to the present, “No, it’s not something you did. I’m grateful for your chocolates, as always. I just got a lot of things on my mind…” he trailed off as the current situation asserted itself onto his consciousness.

Djeeta was holding his hands to her chest, eyes brimming. Their noses were almost touching as she stood on her tiptoes to search his eyes.

She was so close.

At that moment his brain terminated its functions.

“Gran?” Just one word out of her lips before he silenced her with his own.

It was barely a peck. Less than that. But it shattered all the barriers that had laid around the two since that day he moved next door to the little cheerful girl and her dragon friend.

He stared into her wide eyes, “I like you Djeeta. I think I always have.”

One breath. Two. Three. They stayed in that position as she tried to speak.

“Gran, I, I mean,” she managed to stammered finally, “I’ve never had thoughts about liking or, or _dating_-”

He could almost see her confusion running around inside her mind. He smiled softly, “I just want you to know, you don’t have to answer me Djeeta. And uh, sorry,” he cleared his throat, the redness coming back to his face with a vengeance, “for, um, kissing you without permission.”

She uttered a small squeak as her cheeks turned a vivid shade of pink.

Gran’s head rang with bells and gongs. He felt dizzy.

Djeeta being embarrassed, even as a concept, was so utterly, utterly foreign to him.

She was cute.

Too cute.

This is too much.

“Sorry, just push me away if you hate it,” Gran gritted out and pulled her close with one hand, the other tilting her face up for a deeper kiss.

And stopped. Then he reached up and punched his face.

“Gran!?” Djeeta snatched his hand and held it firmly to prevent him from blacking his own eye, “What are you-”

He groaned and collapsed on the bunk, “I hate growing up.”

“What _are_ you talking about?” Djeeta knelt in front of him, his hand still gripped in hers.

“It’s like I can’t control my own body,” he sighed and knocked his forehead against hers, “I don’t want to hurt you. But here I am, doing exactly the opposite.”

“You didn’t hurt me,” Djeeta protested as she squeezed his hand.

“Your face was screwed up and you were bracing yourself just now.”

“That’s just-” she hid her heated face but kept stammering, “Because you were- it was sudden! Why are you always proactive in the weirdest situations! But I didn’t hate the k-kiss or anything. And, and I think-”

“What?” he whispered, sure he must have misheard her mumble.

“I _said_,” she pushed her head against his roughly, having finally gotten a grip on her embarrassment, “I think I like you too! But I don’t know if it’s the same ‘like’ you mean,” she petered out softly.

“Oh,” was all he could manage.

Gran looked at their held hands, absently traced his thumb over her sword calluses and whispered, “So what do we do now?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered back.

They fell into an awkwardly fraught silence for several minutes until Djeeta suddenly giggled.

Gran eyed her shaking shoulders, smile reluctantly tucked at the corner of his mouth, “I have a bad feeling but I’m going to ask anyway. What is it?”

“It’s nothing menacing,” she laid her head on the bunk beside his knees and looked up at him, eyes dancing, “but I think I’m looking forward to this year’s White Day now. I’m expecting a lot, Gran.”

Gran’s mouth fell into an ‘O’. He swore reflexively and caused his co-captain to laugh even harder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've been reading too much shoujo manga. Can you tell? Anyway, please pray for poor Gran as he competes with all the elaborate White Day setups of the other crew members, heh.


	12. Day One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's rewind the clock.

“I hate this stupid place!” The boy shouted as he kicked an innocent pebble laying by the trackside as hard as he could.

Farmlands and orchards stretched endlessly around him in all directions. There was nothing to read in the local headman’s house where they had gone to exchange greetings, nothing to be seen in the village square except for a dilapidated well, and nothing for him to do in the little cottage his mother had moved their family of two. He had escaped the dust of the unpacking and trudged in a random direction until he became thoroughly sick of the greenery everywhere.

“That’s rude of you to say,” a high voice piped up behind him.

He almost fell over from the surprise of hearing a voice directly in his right ear. A girl around his age had silently come up behind him and stood so close, their noses almost touched when he turned his head back. He yelped and jumped away from her. To his mortification, he felt his eyes welled up, from shock or from embarrassment, even he wasn’t sure.

“Hey Djeeta, don’t make him cry,” a small, lizard-like thing chided the pink pinafore-ed girl from his perch on her head.

“I’m not crying!” he shouted, cheeks red from the effort of holding the tears back. “Who are you? What is this thing?” pudgy finger pointed first at the girl then at the weird red creature on her head.

“I ain’t no ‘thing’! I’m a dragon!” the creature flapped up with a scowl.

“A dragon? You don’t look anything like a dragon!”

“And a brat like you knows what a dragon looks like? As if!”

“I’m Djeeta, this is Vyrn. Are you Gran?” the girl – Djeeta – spoke up to interrupt the escalating argument and steer the topic back on track.

“Yeah, I am. What’s it to you?” he replied sulkily.

“Your mother said you should come back and eat lunch before playing,” she replied calmly, “I came to look for you because my Grandma said neighbors should help each other.”

He clicked his tongue, “Fine,” and looked around. Fields, fields, trees, and more fields. You’d think it would be easy to find a place to be alone in the middle of nowhere like this.

She ignored his ill-mannered reaction and asked, “Can you get back on your own?”

He was getting sick of her matter-of-fact voice and searching hazel eyes, “Yeah, ‘course I can.”

She tilted her head, “Really?”

“Yes! Leave me alone!” he snapped; his patience gone.

She looked to the red dragon by her side with an unspoken question, and nodded back when Vyrn shrugged, “Okay then, see you later.”

She walked around Gran and on down the track, short braids bouncing with every step.

Gran screwed up his face to stop his frustrated tears from leaking and trudged off the lane before collapsing beneath one of the flowering apple trees in the nearby orchard.

“Stupid Dad, why did you have to go and-” he gulped the next word down with the rising hiccup, curled onto his side, and hit the ground with his fist, repeatedly, until his arm became too heavy to lift. He didn’t want to believe that his father was gone forever, that everything has changed, that he was powerless to stop his mother from leaving everything of that irresponsible man behind and moved both of them out to the middle of nowhere to escape the memories.

He turned over and stared up into the canopy, exhausted with the effort to not cry. A regular thudding pulsed from the center of his forehead down to his neck from the held-in frustration but even when he felt the ache ebbed, the thudding didn’t stop.

He lifted his head and looked around. A low stone wall separated the orchard from the woods beyond, just a few meters behind the tree he was sitting under. Now that he was paying closer attention, the sound of something being hit repeatedly seemed to come floating from within the shaded depths of the forest.

Curiosity got the better of his caution. He got up and clambered his way over the wall to find the origin of the strange sound. Anything was better than sitting still and let the raging helplessness consumed him further.

The forest floor was relatively clear of undergrowth so he was able to concentrate wholly on following his ears.

When he came across the clearing, the sudden brightness of the noon sun momentarily blinded him.

“Huh, it’s that brat from before. It’s not my business but you’re heading the wrong way from where you’re supposed to be goin’.”

He remembered that irritating tone. After his eyes adjusted he looked to his right. The lizard – dragon – was sitting on a stump at the edge of the clearing, munching on a few early apples. In the middle of the space was the source of the sound he was looking for. Djeeta was using a stick as long as she was tall to hit some kind of haybale, giving no sign she had heard him approach or Vyrn’s remark.

“What’s she doing?” Gran asked no one in particular under his breath.

But Djeeta was the one who answered, shocking him, “Training.”

He recovered quickly and asked incredulously, “This is training?”

“Yes. Grandma said this exercise can increase my arm muscles and stamina,” she replied while continuing to hit the bale without pause. She was just a little short of breath despite the exertion.

“Why?”

“I’m preparing for my journey,” she stopped and faced him, “I’m going to Estalucia when I grow up.”

“That place is just a story! It’s not real.”

“Hey, you! Who are you to question Djeeta huh? Coming in here with all these questions, the nerve!” Vyrn flapped in front of his face, glaring at him with all the might he could muster while an apple seed was stuck at the corner of his mouth.

“Vyrn, wait,” Djeeta came up to the both of them, caught and held the little dragon to her chest as she looked at him with increased curiosity, “You know what Estalucia is? Grandma was the only one who knew what it was when I first showed her Dad’s letter.”

The force of her gaze cowed him. Gran frowned as he caught himself almost backing down. No way was he going to lose a staredown with some _girl_, and made his voice work to answer her, “That’s because I read about it in a book once- ”

“Which book?” she interrupted, clearly excited.

“There was an airship from the Hall of Knowledge with a traveling library-”

“Really? Where did they dock? Do they come often? Did they have many books about Estalucia?” Djeeta pressed closer with her questioning as Gran lost his nerve at the onslaught and backed away from her sparkling eyes until he ran into a tree behind him.

“Oi, Djeeta,” wheezed Vyrn from the middle of the press of their bodies, “I. Can’t. Breathe.”

“Oh, sorry,” Djeeta stepped back and let the dragon go, “I guess I got a little carried away.”

“A little?” Vyrn sighed as he rubbed his sore arms, “You’re always like this whenever the topic of your Dad’s letter comes up.”

Gran hid a sigh of relief as Djeeta let up and gave him back some personal space. He answered her torrent of questions conscientiously, “The airship came when I was still living somewhere else. I’ve got no idea if it’ll come to this place. I only just read that book in passing, I don’t know if there’s more.”

“I see,” her face fell, but instantly lit up a few moments later, “But there’s a clue somewhere at least. That’s good enough for now.”

“Why are you trying so hard to get there? It’s nothing more than a fairy tale-”

“No, it’s not,” she shook her head and smiled, “My Dad’s letter said he is waiting there for me, so it must be real.”

Before Gran could argue that those two points had no correlation, she turned, picked up the stick she had dropped, and went back to her exercise.

Vyrn lost interest in him and went back to his stump. He was left standing by himself, at a loss. What was he doing there, talking and answering a confused girl who thought a legend was real? He shook his head and turned away. He was starting to feel hungry. The lunch his mother made suddenly seemed very appealing just now.

“I’ll see you later Gran, let’s talk more soon okay?” Djeeta called as he took a step into the woods.

He looked back at the girl cheerfully waving at him from across the bright clearing. He timidly raised a hand in answer and quickly walked away to hide his bashfulness.

Djeeta was going to talk to him again. She was interested in what he had to say. That’s never happened before. In his old neighborhood, the rowdy kids always made fun of him for choosing his books over playing outside.

He clambered up the wall separating the orchard from the forest and paused on top of the warm stone. He must have come up a rise somewhere because now the vista of Zinkenstill fell away below him. Flowering apple trees, lush farms, and rustling grazing lands stretched as far as his eyes could see. The prospect of spending his days without his books as sanctuary used to deter him, but now, with Djeeta around, it might be just a little more bearable than before.


End file.
